Vincent J. Santino

Vincent was born on August 28th, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY to John and Rose Santino. He spent 68+ years working in the automobile industry as a mechanic, parts manager at Shea Chevrolet in Hackensack, NJ, Private Investigator for his car repossession business and in Customer Service at Bergen County Dodge in Ramsey, NJ. At one point in his career, Vin's love of ice cream led him to owning his ice cream shop, Scoops, in Garfield, NJ. He fondly told stories of who had the fastest car, racing old jalopies in the woodlands and on ice ponds in New Milford, and his stints as an Uber driver for Francene and her stranded co-workers through many a snowstorm.

In addition to Francene, his loving wife of 40 years, Vincent is survived by his brother, Patrick Santino of NJ; his son, Jeffrey Santino of NY; his daughters Susan DeWeever of FL and Kari Cassidy of PA; his stepchildren Janine Pickett of NY and Jacqueline Miller of TX as well as 11 awesome grandchildren.

Throughout their marriage, Vin and Fran thoroughly loved spending time with their children and families at their home and vacation spots in Jungle Beach in Long Island, Villa Roma in the Catskills and on North Pond in Maine. They loved taking their kids and grandkids riding and waterskiing in their boat, and on various adventures to many parks, pumpkin patches and Christmas events. They also loved simply staying home to play charades, cards, Dance Dance Revolution or backyard wiffle ball with the gang. Vin and Fran enjoyed traveling to Alaska, Costa Rica, Italy, England and all over the United States.

Vin had a passion for anything to do with cars, people and the many animals that visited him in his yard. He particularly loved convertibles and Chevy Corvairs. Vin's incredible knowledge of the intricate workings of their engines enabled him to disassemble and rebuild them practically in his sleep. Vin always knew someone, anywhere and everywhere he went. While eating dinner in a small NYC restaurant, he'd recognize the owner who was the son of "the guy" Vin worked with way back in the days of Shea Chevrolet. Vin had a homemade zoo in his backyard and provided food, water and company for the squirrels, birds, deer, turkeys, raccoons, bunnies, opossums and even skunks.

Vincent valued and recognized ALL people in ALL walks of life. He touched everyone's heart with his kindness, his ceaseless ability to listen and his gift of never judging the path of another. You could always count on Vincent to initiate a connection with every person he encountered - like greeting the garbage collector and handing him a "20" to buy lunch for the crew.

Vincent was a shining example of a man who walked by faith, not by sight; didn't seek to be understood, but sought to understand; didn't seek to be loved, but sought to love. He knew that in giving of himself, he received.

The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd., Westwood, NJ on Monday, October 4th from 4-7PM. A Mass celebrating Vincent's life and faith will be held at R.C. Church Of The Assumption in Emerson, NJ on Tuesday, October 5th at 10AM with private cremation to follow. Vincent's family requests that donations be made in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity very near and dear to his heart.